In a tragic incident, fifteen migrants lost their lives when their boat collided with a coast guard vessel off the coast of the Greek island of Chios on Tuesday night. The Greek coast guard reported that the migrant boat, moving without navigation lights, failed to heed signals and altered its course, resulting in the devastating collision.
The impact caused the boat to capsize, plunging all on board into the Aegean Sea, near the Turkish coast. Greek authorities have confirmed the recovery of 14 bodies and provided medical assistance to 25 survivors. Most of the migrants hailed from Afghanistan, with one Moroccan among them. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris commended the coast guard for their rescue operation.
This incident has once again focused attention on Greece’s treatment of migrants at sea, following accusations related to another tragic shipwreck earlier this year. The Port Authority in Chios is conducting a thorough investigation into the collision, as Greece remains under scrutiny amid ongoing debates on migration policies.
(With inputs from agencies.)